Container and method of sealing same



June 19, 1945. v, 131' cos o 2,378,470

CONTAINER AND METHOD OF SEALING SAME Filed Dec. 3, 1942 FiqLl.

INV ENT OR.

44 PASQl/ALE V. aZCOJMO I 2 g 3 MM A 7'7'ORNEY Patented June 19, 1945 Pasquale V. di Cosmo, Phillipsburg, N. 1., assign-' or to The Canister Company, Phillipsburg,

N. J a corporation of New Jersey 1 Application December. 3, 1942, Serial No. 467,805

1 Claim. l. 229-55) This invention relates to containers, receptacles or the like capable of being formed entirely of fibrou material and particularly to methods and means for constructing the ends of such containers to provide a strong, liquid-tight and airtight seal therefor. 1

While my invention is capable of use in Packaging, storing and shipping almost any kind of material in solid, pulverized, paste or liquid form, the type ofcontainer hereafter particularly described and shown in the drawing is especiallydesigned for the storage and shipment of oils,

paints and similar oily liquids.

Heretofore, it has been common ractice to ship and store oils and paints in metal cans or containers. This generally has been necessary because of the solvent and penetrating characteristics of oils and the difficultie involved in producing and maintaining an adequate seal between the elements of which non-metallic containers have been made. One very satisfactory form of container formed in part of fibrous material and designed for use with oil is shown and described in the patent to Kernahan No. 2,202,558. However, the end members of such containers are formed of metal and are crimped or spun onto the body of the container, requiring operations and material which are relatively expensive and which, at present, are diflicult to obtain. Another type of container, which may be made entirely of fibrous materials, and which may be used with oily liquids is shown and described in the copending application of di Cosmo et al. Serial No. 447,726, filed June 19, 1942. This construction also is very satisfactory but requires numerous manufacturing steps and operations which increase the cost of the finished container.

In accordance with the present invention a container, which preferably is formed entirely of fibrous materials, is produced by operations which ar very simple and inexpensive and yet the strength of the container and the effectiveness of the seal produced are increased. These results are attained byproviding the container, and particularly the filling end thereof, with a sealing diaphragm formed of oil and grease resistant paper or the like and arranged to permit the container to be filled while protecting the sealing surfaces thereof. In combination with the sealing diaphragm there is used a closure member which cooperates with the diaphragm to insure the formation of a liquid-tight and, air-tight end construction on the container. Moreover, the construction servesto shield the body of the container and all porous elements thereof from the oil or other material in the container so that weakening or deterioration of porous portion of the body and closure member are prevented and preservation of the desired seal is assured. I

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel form of container capable of bein formed entirely of fibrous material by simple and economical operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fibrous container which is liquid-tightand airtight and which is so formed that it serves to protect all porous portions of the container from the action of oils or liquids which might weaken the construction or impair the sealing of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container formed of fibrous material with a sealing diaphragm and end closure of novel construction and arranged to protect the sealing surfaces of the container from oil or other material which might impair the seal.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following-descriptio'n thereof in which reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective showing the end of a container and the sealing diaphragm in a preferred.

form of container embodying the present invention and in the position they assume in assembly,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the sealing diaphragm applied to the container and the closure member in position for application,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and' 2 with the closure member applied to the container, and

Fig. 4 is a vie'w similar to Fig. 3 with the closure ermanently secured in place.

In that form of container shown in the drawin the body 2 is cylindrical in shape and preferably is formed of spirally wound fibrous material, such as-chipboard, kraft paper or other paper-like material. The body is provided with an inner liner formed of oil and grease resistant material 4 such as paper or parchment, as described and claimed in the Karnahan patent referred to above. A sealing compound which may be an oil insoluble glue, is appliedto the end of the container body sothat the glue initially extends further downward from the end of the container on the inside thereof as shown at 6 than on the outside of the container as shown at 8. v

The sealing diaphragm is formed of oil and grease resistant material, such as the parchment paper 4 which lines the container. Before being applied the diaphragm is in the shape of a fiat ring of material !8, shown in Fig. 1, having a central opening l2 which in the finished container serves as a filling opening through which the oil or other material may be charged into the container. Such rings can be readily and economie cally cut from flat sheets of the parchment paper in a single operation and need not be further formed or treated before being applied to the body of the container.

The outer edge l4 of the ring is of substantially greater diameter than the container whereas the inner edge l6 thereof is of substantially smaller diameter than the container. The sealing diaphragm is preferably applied and simultaneously shaped to conform directly to the body of the container by means of a die. During this operation the central portion 28 of the sealing element is pushed into the end of the body beyond the rim l8 thereof while the outer portions of the sealing diaphragm are pressed against the adjacent glue bearing portions 6 and 8 of the body and about the rim l8, The central portion 28 of th diaphragm then is located below the rim of the container in the position shown in Fig. 2 and extends inward from the body at right angles thereto forming an annular flange that serves as a support for the closure member subsequently applied and serves as a shield or splash guard during the operations of filling, conveying and sealing the container.

It willbe evident that as the portion 28 f the diaphragm is pushed into the end of the container body and asses beyond the rim l8 thereof the portion 22 of the diaphragm which lies directly adjacent the inner surface of the container and above the flange 28 will be pressed against the glue 6 and will wipe over the glue spreading it and causing it to fiow into the folds and crevices formed in the diaphragm as it is shaped to the container body. At the same time the glue will be spread over the inner face of the body so that the portion 22 will be firmly and intimately bonded to the container and all crevices therein will be sealed. The outer marginal portion 24 of the diaphragm is also pressed downward about the outer surface of the container and against the glue 8 so as to be securely held in place. The wiping action resulting from relative movement of the portion 22 of the diaphragm with respect to the inner surface of the body also serves to cause the glue 6 to be squeezed downward from the upper rim N3 of the container body forming a continuous sealing film of glue between the body and the diaphragm. Moreover, that portion of the glue which collects at the joint between the inwardly extending flange 28 and the inner surface of the container body spreads circumferentially about the joint and flows together into a continuous sealing gasket of glue which serves to close any pin holes or crevices formed by wrinkling of the diaphragm during the forming operation, This sealing gasket, as shown at 28 in Fig. 3, presents a smooth, unbroken surface of a permanent liquid-tight and air-tight character. The flowing and spreading of the glue may be aided by using a heated die whereby the glue is softened sufficiently to insure ready flow thereof over the surfaces and into all pores and crevices as well as fiuxing thereof into the continuous sealing gasket 28.

The opposite end of the container may be closed and sealed by any suitable construction.

" The preferred type of closure means applied to the opp ite end of the body is that shown and described in the copending application of di Cosmo Serial No. 467,804 filed December 3, 1942. When one end of the container body is closed and the sealing diaphragm I8 is applied to the other end thereof the container is placed with the latter end upward so that it presents the central filling opening l2 surrounded by the inwardly extending flange 28. The empty containers may then be conveyed to filling and closing devices and may be handled in the same manner as ordinary tin cans or other receptacles. During the conveying, filling and closing operations the containers are necessarily jostled, jolted and vibrated to some extent, but the flange 28 effectively prevents oil or other liquid from splashing upward onto the upper surface of the flange or onto the portion 22 of the sealing diaphragm which are subsequently used as sealing surfaces in the final closing and sealing operation. These surfaces are thus protected and preserved in a clean condition so as to be receptive tothe glue or sealing compound employed.

The closure member shown at 38 in Fig. 2 is formed of a disc 32 of chipboard or other stifi, fibrous material, and is provided with an inner lining 34 of oil and grease resistant paper such as that used in forming the sealing diaphragm l8 and the liner 4 for the body of the container. The disc 32 is circular in form and substantially equal in diameter to the internal diameter of the container body so as to have a snug or tight fit t erewith when forced down against the flange 28. The marginal portion 36 of the lining 34 extends beyond the edges of the disc 32 and therefore when the closure is applied the portion 36 turns upward adjacent the portion 22 of the sealing diaphragm which lies adjacent the inner wall of the container body above the flange 28, The

cut and porous edges of the disc 32 are thereby covered and protected by the oil resistant liner whereas the added thickness of the liner portions 36 aids in forming a tight wedging fit between the closure and the body.

The closure member is readily formed by stamping or cutting the stiff discs and the larger lining members 34 from fiat sheets and they are thereafter assembled by simply gluing the lining member to the disc with the disc centered on the lining member.

In applying the closure and sealing it in place, glue is applied to the upper face of the flange 28 adjacent the corner where it meets the upwardly extending portion 22 of the sealing diaphragm, as shown at 38. Some glue also may be spread upward from the corner over the portion 22 of the sealing diaphragm. The closure member 38 is then forced down against the flange 28 so that the glue is caused to flow upward along the face 22 of the diaphragm and over the upwardly folded marginal portion 36 of the lining 34 of the closure. Some of the glue also flows inward over the surface of flange 28 to provide a continuous seal between th flat upper surface of the flange and the fiat lower face of lining 34. In this way a complete and tortuous seal is provided about the edges of the closure, establishing an air-tight and liquid-tight joint between the closure member and the sealing diaphragm.

The closure member preferably is applied by means of a die, which may be heated, and which is formed to force the closure member down into firm seating engagement with the flange 28 and slightly below the upper extremity of the rim if! of the container body as shown in Fig. 3. The die preferably also is formed so that it will turn marginal gasket of glue 28, whereas it is secured at the edges by the frictional contact and glue between the surfaces 22 and 36 and is further clamped and held in position by the inwardly turned bead 40 formed by molding of the rim l8 of the container body. Moreover, the continuity of the sealing member in extending upward adjacent the inner face of the body, over the rim l8 and downward about the outer surface of the container body adds materially to the strength of the support afforded for the closure member.

The structure thereby provided is exceedingly strong, while all joints are fully and completely sealed and the cut edges of the fibrous body are covered and protected by oil resistant paper layers. Such containers are capable of withstanding severe usage and may be filled, sealed, stored and shipped as easily and readily as conventional tin cans or containers.

In finishirm the container a label or similar outer paperwrapper 42 is applied to the filled containers and extends over the downwardly turned marginal edges 24 of the sealing element to provide a neat finished appearance to the con tainer and to protect said edges from being accidentally torn or raised by engagement with some other container or object.

The sealing compound referred to as glue" in the foregoing description may be an ordinary fish glue or animal glue or have any other suitable composition capable' of resisting oil. However. the composition preferably is thermo-plastic in character so that when heated dies are used it flows readily into all cracks, crevices and interstices to provide a most effective seal. When the material with which the container is filled is a liquid other than an oily substance the sealing compound may be an asphalt or resinous composition or it may be rubber, latex or any other substance resistant to the action of the contents and capable of forming an adequate seal. Similarly the liner 4, sealing diaphragm l0 and closure lining 34 may be formed of metal foil, Cellophane, or other sheet material which will not deteriorate under the conditions of use and the linings may be applied to the container body and closure as separate operations by laminating or they may be applied as a film or solution, by spraying, dipping or otherwise to provide a coating which will seal the relatively porous material or fibrous stock from which the body and closure disc are formed and be resistant to the contents of the container.

These and other modifications and changes may be made in the composition, form and arrangement of the elements from which the container is formed and in the methods of assembling and sealing the same in producing a finished container. In view thereof it should be understood thaf the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the figures of the drawing and herein described is intended to represent a preferred form thereof and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

I claim:

A container comprising a fibrous body having an oil resistant lining, a fibrous closure member applied to the container body and having an oil resistant lining, and an oil resistant sealing diaphragm located between the container body and I and the lining of the container body and between the sealing diaphragm and the lining of the closure member providing a permanent air-tight and liquid-tight seal between the parts mentioned, the rim of the container body extending inward over the marginal portion of the closure member and being of such stillness as to hold the closure member permanently 'in engagement with said flange.

PASQUALE V. m 'COSMO. 

